I firmly believe that RTK with its current affairs programme such as Irrid Nistaqsi is giving the rest of the media an example of responsible and civilised journalism. When a media person is investigating current issues there should not be the need, as sometimes is even witnessed on the state media, to cut short the interviewee’s answers or try to sidetrack him or her to demonstrate the presenter’s skill or to hold the listeners’ or viewers’ attention.

RTK’s Mr Bonello way of describing the different aspects of a subject in the weekly Irrid Nistaqsi programme is fair to all parties: Guests in the studio, those interviewed before the programme and not present to elucidate further, those phoning in and listeners in general. This is very unlike the ‘storm troopers’ way of creating sensationalism used by other broadcasters in the mistaken tenet that this will assure a high media following. An illusion which can mislead some of the people some of the time. Ultimately, the truth will come out and with each week, despite what the surveys say, a dwindling interest is registered in programmes of the same genre on other situations.

This is evident by the fact that in contrast to an audio medium as RTK, which has also been praised in the leftist media for its informative programmes, the state media retained flagship farmed out or inhouse programmes, though having the advantage of the visual medium struggle. One to be innovative, another to fill a hall a quarter of the size or less of what Labour used to do with its weekly Robin Hood series! And the third not to be appear as disjointed as it comes over, ‘Oscars’ or no prizes.

Additionally, while in the past virtually no activities where held on particular days of the week, a mushrooming of activities on these days is taking place. Does this not signify that both the intelligentsia and others bent on social entertainment are not following programmes past their sell by date?

J. G. Bonnett

Ghajnsielem